Did you know that there are three new national monuments in California? Sand to Snow, Castle Mountains and Mojave Trails National Monuments protect approximately 1.8 million acres of spectacular desert landscapes, soaring mountain peaks, fragile wildlife habitat, unique historic resources and important cultural sites. They also offer a wide variety of recreation opportunities. Explore and enjoy your new wilderness!

A whopping 1.6 million acres between Barstow and Needles, this vast monument links Joshua Tree National Park with the Mojave National Preserve, creating a land bridge of safety for migrating wildlife such as the desert bighorn sheep. It is a stunning mosaic of rugged mountain ranges, ancient lava flows, spectacular sand dunes and fascinating human history.

Sand to Snow encompasses 154,000 acres of wilderness east of Los Angeles. From the Sonoran desert floor to to the snowy peak of Mount San Gorgonio, the tallest mountain in Southern California, this area is renowned for its diverse natural environment. It’s an important wildlife corridor for mule deer, mountain lions, black bears, bighorn sheep and the desert tortoise.

Sitting between the Nevada state line and Mojave National Preserve is Castle Mountains National Monument. Nearly 21,000 acres protects water resources, plants, wildlife and some of the finest Joshua tree, Pinon pine and Juniper forests in California. Visitors can expect unbroken natural landscapes, rare desert grasslands, and important cultural resources to explore.